Ideas of Social Europe
Enhancing or Eroding European Integration?
Published on 9. May 2025
Book
Hardback
214 pages
978-1-0353-5794-9 (ISBN)
Description
In this prescient book, Dominic Afscharian outlines the meaning and implications of 'social Europe', questioning why citizens do not see a European Union with a 'human face' in their everyday lives. Identifying the key political actors in the European Parliament and Commission, he explores the dominant ideologies that govern influential institutions and political parties and demonstrates how these inhibit political change.
Afscharian analyses the main proponents and opponents of European social integration, examining policy frameworks, the welfare state and social policy principles. He provides insight into ideational struggles in the EU, covering party conflict and opposing political alliances within the European Commission. Chapters set an agenda for how stalemates in European integration can be overcome, presenting an in-depth exploration of the history of European unemployment insurance as a key example. The book lauds the individuals who are determined to realise a disruptive vision of a Europe that protects its citizens, considering what this means for the future of European integration at large.
Ideas of Social Europe is an essential guide for scholars, academics and students in political science, social policy, sociology and economics. Its advocacy for a stronger social Europe, coupled with its theoretical and empirical approach, will also greatly benefit political strategists, policy organisations, think tanks and policy advisors.
Afscharian analyses the main proponents and opponents of European social integration, examining policy frameworks, the welfare state and social policy principles. He provides insight into ideational struggles in the EU, covering party conflict and opposing political alliances within the European Commission. Chapters set an agenda for how stalemates in European integration can be overcome, presenting an in-depth exploration of the history of European unemployment insurance as a key example. The book lauds the individuals who are determined to realise a disruptive vision of a Europe that protects its citizens, considering what this means for the future of European integration at large.
Ideas of Social Europe is an essential guide for scholars, academics and students in political science, social policy, sociology and economics. Its advocacy for a stronger social Europe, coupled with its theoretical and empirical approach, will also greatly benefit political strategists, policy organisations, think tanks and policy advisors.
Reviews / Votes
'This book provides a unique investigation into the ideas underpinning EU social policy making and unveils an inconvenient truth. Behind empty rhetoric about Social Europe, those ideas which gain traction mainly serve to reproduce the status quo. This crucial finding opens avenues for understanding Europeans' incapacity to envision a common future of greater solidarity.' -- Amandine Crespy, Universite Libre de Bruxelles, Belgium 'Dominic Afscharian argues that there is an absence of progress in the making of social Europe. The book offers an intriguing and well-documented analysis of why ideas of European unemployment insurance have failed to strengthen the project of social Europe.' -- Bea Cantillon, University of Antwerp, Belgium 'EU policies are developed from a great variety of concepts, ideas and visions. Dominic Afscharian has written an excellent book exploring the thoughts and intentions behind Social Europe. Readers may conclude that, if the EU is to make real progress towards social goals, it must heed and work with epistemic communities.' -- Laszlo Andor, Foundation for European Progressive Studies, Belgium 'This book must be the most meticulous study available of the ideas that underpin the notion of "Social Europe". Afscharian convincingly demonstrates that prevailing ideas are not conducive to calls for a more social Europe, and challenges widespread assumptions in EU social policy debates about who is for and against progressive change.' -- Cecilia Bruzelius, University of Tuebingen, GermanyMore details
Language
English
Place of publication
Cheltenham
United Kingdom
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Dimensions
Height: 234 mm
Width: 156 mm
ISBN-13
978-1-0353-5794-9 (9781035357949)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Person
Dominic Afscharian, Research Officer, Zentrum fuer neue Sozialpolitik, Germany
Content
Contents
1 The intriguing promise of a social Europe
2 The many types of social Europe
3 Social Europe's status quo and hurdles
4 Overcoming hurdles: the interplay of ideas, actors,
institutions, and power
5 Ideas of social Europe in the European Parliament
6 Ideas of social Europe in the European Commission
7 From idea to policy: the history of European unemployment
insurance
8 Social Europe in the twenty-first century: grand rhetoric and
pragmatic ideas
Bibliography
1 The intriguing promise of a social Europe
2 The many types of social Europe
3 Social Europe's status quo and hurdles
4 Overcoming hurdles: the interplay of ideas, actors,
institutions, and power
5 Ideas of social Europe in the European Parliament
6 Ideas of social Europe in the European Commission
7 From idea to policy: the history of European unemployment
insurance
8 Social Europe in the twenty-first century: grand rhetoric and
pragmatic ideas
Bibliography